Automatic railway crossing gate



Feb. 28, 1933. c. T. DAY

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Jan. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheqt l I INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 28, 1933. c. T. DAY

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Jan.

15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 2 e- ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 28, 1933 i r d i UNITED STATES P T- OFFICE cminnns T. DA Y, QFBRADLEY BEAQH, NEW JERSEY AUTOMATIC RAILWAY onossme GATE a Application filed January 15, 1932. Serial No. 586,863;

' This invention relates in generalto a rail section, of an automatic railway gate emway crossing gate of the type in which the bodyingmy invention; gate is automatically closed upon the ap- Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view,'onf

- proach of a train to the crossing, and isla'utothe line 22 of Figure 1; v o i 3 mati'cally opened after the train has passed Figure3 isa transverse vertical sectional" 55 the crossing. 1 View, on the'line of Figure 1; I

' One object of the invention is to provide Figure 4 is an enlargedflfragmentary seca novel and improved crossing gate of this tional elevation of oneof the switches for character which shall embody a minimum controlling operation or the drive mechanumberof simple parts-so that the gate shall nism; V r a be-positi've, reliable and durable in operation, I Figure 5 is a schematic planview of theand shall require a minimum of. attention gate,,sho.wing its relation to the railways and repair. V I V v crossing, and, f r 1 Another object is to provide in an auto 7 Figure 6is a Wiring diagram of thefap- 1,

maticrailway crossing gate-a drivingmechaparatus. v v v, i r

nism for raising and lowering the gate which Specifically describing the illustrated em shall always rotate in the same direction in bodiment of the invention, I have shown it in I both opening and closing the gate, whereby connection with a two-track railwayrinclud-V it shall be possible to use a single. direction ing the two tracks A and B, and at each side-" 3 electric motor, in combination with a, novel of the railway is arranged an automatic gate f and improved construction and arrangement C embodying my invention; preferably one of a plurality of electric'switch mechanisms gate is arranged at each side of the roadway controlled by a train as it approaches the D. These gates. are identical in construction, crossing and after it has passed the crossing and only one thereof will be specifically defor automatically starting the drive mechascribed; but both gates are connected inan A ni'sm into operation to close the gate as the electric circuit so as to be simultaneously opt'rain approaches the crossing, stopping the erated. V g operation of the drive mechanism whilethe 1 The gate niechanismincludes a casing 1: of

gate is closed, and again starting the drive the usual construction mounted on a suitable mechanism to open the gate after the train foundation 2 at one side of the railway cross-V has passed the crossing. 7 i ing. Withinthe casing 1 is journalr-id a Other objects are to provide in a railway worm gear 3 on a horizontal shaft 4 in bear-i crossing gate of this character, a pair of elecings 5, and said worm gear is driven by a tric switches, each to control starting and worm-(iconnected to an electric motor7which stopping of the electric drive mechanism, rotates in one direction. Rigidly connected said switches being actuated into closed posito the shaft 4 is a crank arm 8 which is con tion by a solenoid the circuit through which nectedbya link 9 to a crank arm 10 on a horiis controlled by switches on the railway zontal shaft 11 journaled in the casing 1 with track, and opened" by mechanical actuation itsends projecting from opposite sides of the through the medium of an oscillatingiarm casing. On theends of the shaft 11 is mountupon which the solenoid is mounted and ed a gate arm. 12 which is preferably formed which swings in synchronism with the openin two sections hingedly connected at 13 so ing and closing of the gate; and to obtain that the end section overlies the roadway D other advantages and results as will be and may hingedly yield in bothdirecti na s 1,, 2 brought out by the following descripti'onr shown inFigu're 5 of the drawings, should Referring to the accompanying drawings, it be struck by a vehicle. In Figure 1 of the in which corresponding and like parts are drawings thegate arm 12 vis shown'inits designated throughout the several views by h riz ntal r r a i g pos ion, and the the same reference characters, crank arm 8, link 9 and crank arm 101are of Figure l is a side elevation, partially in such relative sizes andso related to the gate arm 12 that upon rotation of the worm gear 3 in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, the gate arm will be swung upwardly; a half revolution of the crank arm 8 serves to swing the gate from its horizontal position to its vertical or open position shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 1, and upon the next half revolution of the crank arm in the same direc 'tion, the gate arm will be lowered to its ho'ri zontal position. i

For controlling operation of the motor- 7, and gate-opening and closing mechanism, 1

may utilize two electric switches 14E and15.

These switches may-he of the knife type as shown, eachincluding a-blade l6 pivotally mounted at 1? on an insulating base 18 and connected in circuit through a binding post 19, said blade cooperating'with a bifurcated spring contact20 of the usual construction ;which is also mounted on the base 18 and connected in circuit by ai binding post 21. The

blades 16 of the two switches 14; and 15 are connected .by'a tie rod'22g and so related to each other that whenone switch is closed the other switchis open, and both switches be open at the same time, as clearly shownin Figure 1 of the drawings. For'opening and I closing'the switches Hand 15, I may utilize a solenoid 23 mounted on an arm 2 1 rigidly connected to the gate arm shaft 11 so as to swing synchronously therewith The'solenoid 28 has a reciprocable core 25' which is projected from the outer end of the solenoid when the solenoid is energized, and is retracted by a spring 26. W

Assuming that the gate -arm12 is in its horizontal or closed position, as shown in Figure 1, both switches Hand '15 are open, and the solenoid is arranged in juxtaposition to one of the blades. When the solenoid is energizechth'e core 25 is'projected abuttingly against the blade'16 so as to close the switch, i. e., force the blade into engagement with the spring contact 20. The switch" is connected in circuit with the motor 7, as hereinafter described, so that when the switch is .closedthe motor is started. The worm gear 3 is then rotated so as to swing the gate 12'to its yer tical. or open position, and when the gate reaches its vertical position, the solenoid 23 has been swung by the arm 24- into. juxtaposi? start the motor in operation. The gate arm 12 is thus swung to its horizontal or closed:

position, and the solenoid is fat the same time 5 swung into juxtaposition to'the blade ofthe switch 1 1 so as to partially close said switch and open the switch 15 to stop the motor. It

will thus be seen that the motor-is started in operation alternately by the switches 14 and 15 to alternately open and close the gate arm 12, the motor always rotating in the same direction. I

The energization of the solenoid 23 is controlled by switches on the railway tracks A and B; these switches may be of any suitable construction. As shown, each track has a self-opening switch 27 at each side of the road 1 crossing a distance sufficient to permit closing of the gate arms before the train reaches "the crossing, said switches to be closed by the train only when the train is approaching the crossing; and eachtrack has a similar self-opening switch 28 at each side of the road crossing to be closed only after the train has passed thecrossing. These switches 27 and 28 are connected in parallel circuit on an electric power line L and to the solenoid 23 of each gate mechanism C, as shown in Figure 5 so that as any track switch27 or 28 is actuated by a train, both solenoids 23 are energizedto close oneot the switches 14 or 15. The switchesl i and 15are connected in parallel with the line 'L and both motors ,7, so that when either switch cl lfor 15 is closedfthe motors are operatedto open or close the gate arms The switchesjleand 15-aremechani- 'cally op'ened new solenoids 23 are swung by the arms2e when. the gates reach the limits of their movements in either direction, the closed switch 14 or 15 being pulled open through the tie rod 22 as the solenoid engages the previously openswitch 14: or 15, and both switches being open while the gate'arms are" either openor closed." A

Preferably, each gate arm has a danger indicator, for example a red light or a red reflector .29 for automobile headlights, to indicate to an approaching driver that the gates are closed, and, of course, if desired,a warning audible signalmight be connected in; the ele'ctric'circuit to sound when the "gates are closed.

\Vhile I have showniandde scribed the invention as embodied in certain details of construction, it should be understood that the drawings illustrate the apparatus schematically, and that any suitable parts may be utilized in the apparatus without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what" Iclaimisz I 1. An automatic railway crossing gate, comprising a gate arm, an electricmotor, an operative connection between said motor and said gate to open and close the latter, a pair of normally open switches for controlling said motor, a common electromagnetm meansfor closing sa d switches and normally in operati've'relation to one thereof, means for'controlling energization of said electromagnetio means, means actuated simultaneously with said gate for bodily moving said electromagnetic means into operative relation to said switches alternately, and means including the last-named means for opening the closed erative relation to said switches alternately.

8. An automatic railway crossing gate, comprising a gate arm, an electric motor, an operative connection between said motor and said gate to open and close the latter alternately withthe motor rotating in the same direction,'a pair of normally open switches for controlling said motor, a member movable alternately in opposite directions as said gate opens and closes, an electromagnetic means common to both switches for closing the same mounted onsaid member and moved into operative relation to said switches alternately, and means for controlling energization' of said electromagnetic means to close said switches.

4. An automatic railway crossing gate, comprising a gate arm, an electric motor, an operative connection between said motor and said gate to open and close the latter, a pair of normally open switches for controlling said motor, means connecting said switches whereby the closed switch is opened by a partial closing of the other, a member movable alternately in opposite directions.

simultaneously with said gate, an electromagnetic means common to both said switches for closing them mounted on saidmember and moved thereby into operative relation to said switches alternately, said member engaging and partially closing the open switch and opening the closed switch at each limit of its movement. V

5. An automatic railway crossing gate, comprising an oscillatory shaft, a gate arm mounted thereon, an electric motor, a worm connected thereto, a worm gear driven by said worm, a crank and link connection between said worm gear andsa id oscillatory shaft to alternately raise and lower said gate arm as said motor rotates in one direction, a pair of switches for controlling said motor, each having a movable contact member connected to the movable contact member of the other so that both switches may be open at the same time and one switch maybe opened as the other is partially closed, an arm on said oscillatory shaftto swing therewith, an electromagnetic means common to both switches to engage said contact members and close the switches, said electromagnetic means being mounted on said arm and moved thereby into operative relation to said switches alternately, whereby the closed switch is opened by engagement of said eleotromagneticmeans with the open switch as said electromagnetic means is actuated into operative relation to said open switch, and means for controlling energization of said electromagnetic means to close both said switches. I

6; An automatic railway crossing gate, comprising a gate arm, an electric motor, an operative connection between said motor and said gate to open andclose the latter, a pair of. normally open switches for controlling said motor, a common means for closing said switches and normally in operatlve relation to one thereof, means for controlling actuatlon of said. common means,. means actuated simultaneously with said gate for bodilymoving said common means into operative relation to said switches alternately, and means including the last-named means for opening the closed switch as said common means is moved into operative relation to the other switch. c

7. An automatic Y railway crossing gate, comprising a gate arm, an electric motor, an

operative connection between. said motor and said gate to open and close the latter, a pair of normally, open switches for controlling said motor, means connecting said switches where-- by the closed switch is opened by a partial closing of the other, means commonto both said switches for'closing them and bodily movable alternately in opposite directions simultaneously with said gate into operative relation to said switches alternately, said common means engaging and partially closing the open switch and opening the closed switch at each limit of its movement,'and means for controlling actuation of said common mean to completely close said switches.

CHAS. 'T. DAY. 

